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Sandusky's Top Brass: What they make

SANDUSKY
Nearly 75 percent of Sandusky's general fund budget is spent on salaries and benefits for city employees, said Ed Wi

Sandusky Register Staff

May 24, 2010

SANDUSKY

Nearly 75 percent of Sandusky's general fund budget is spent on salaries and benefits for city employees, said Ed Widman, the city's finance director.

When compared to cities of similar size and demographics, Sandusky's salaries for city workers match up for the most part.

The biggest discrepancies are the salaries of the city's top paid officials including Law Director Don Icsman, $95,388; Engineering Director Kathryn McKillips, $88,676; and Widman, $81,954.

Before his resignation, former City Manager Mike Will made $96,000. Interim city manager Don Miears, by choice, makes $1.

Although the top official's salaries are much higher than comparable cities, most of the other positions, including police chief, fire chief and municipal court judge, are similar.

Widman said many things are taken into consideration when determining a salary. Comparing cities is not comparing apples to apples, he said, since Sandusky has a large increase in summer population. Also, job descriptions and job titles can vary in other cities, resulting in less responsibility and lower pay.

Sandusky also incorporates step increases in salaries, rewarding employees who have experience and years on the job.

"It makes it very confusing and time-consuming," Widman said. "It's how cities are structured; they are not exactly identical."

One of Sandusky's most comparable cities, Barberton, pays its law director $70,337, nearly $15,000 less than Icsman.

Marion, a city with about 10,000 more residents than Sandusky, pays its auditor, law director and engineer about $20,000 less for each position than Sandusky.

Fremont, a city with about 10,000 fewer residents than Sandusky, pays its law director $50,000 less than Iscman earns in Sandusky.

For a run-down on what everyone earns, see Sunday's Register or the ePaper